Dance of the Eclipse
by DroopingRoseHead
Summary: It is the night of a lunar eclipse. All should be well for the Lunar Race...but then Mitsuru and Mahiru wake up screaming. Are these nightmare's premonitions? What is really going on behind the exterior of the Moon Palace? FINISHED
1. Chapter 1: Eclipse

**Dance of the Eclipse**

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own all of the manga of Crescent Moon. I only have books 1 and 3, and I have read volume 6, so if my information in inaccurate I apologize.

I am not a very good action writer, but bear with me and I'll try my best.

Chapter One: Eclipse

It was the night of a full moon. The Lunar Race was at the peak of their power. The club, Moonshine, was packed with laughing customers.

"Hey Mitsuru!" yelled Mahiru. Over at the bar, Mitsuru looked up. "Yeah?" he asked, "What do you want?"

"I need to ask you something later," Mahiru called back as she hurried to serve new guests.

Mitsuru shrugged and went back to wiping. Mahiru had gone back to her aunt's after that fateful night when the true song of the princess had been sung. Then she had come back three months later, saying she wanted to move back in with them.

Mitsuru hadn't minded that much- then. But now…now he wasn't so sure. Mahiru made him discontented and nervous. He liked her, he loved her, but he wasn't comfortable around her.

Later, Mahiru approached Mitsuru. "I wanted to ask you. My school is having a dance this Friday. Nozomu is going with Junko. Akira is going with Keiko, and I though Misoka could handle the music. You wanna come with me?"

"Um," said Mitsuru, not sure what to say.

"Don't worry," reassured Mahiru. "I'll let you think about it." She left to her room, leaving Mitsuru disquieted and nervous once again.

That night was a lunar eclipse. The moon shone brightly, very brightly. The sun was nothing except a red rim around the Earth. The Lunar Race had never slept better – until Mahiru woke in the middle of the night screaming.

"What is it?" Nozumu asked, as he, Misoka, and Akira gathered around her bed. Mitsuru had not awoken.

"I had a horrible dream," said Mahiru faintly. "Don't worry about me. Just a nightmare."

"I don't like this," mused Misoka. "The princess has had nightmares before, but… she has never been like this. And tonight of all nights, when she should be sleeping soundly…a night of a lunar eclipse. She could have had a premoniton."

"You mean I saw into the future?" Mahiru asked.

"Possibly," said Misoka. "What did you see?"

But before Mahiru could reply, there came an agonized scream, one of terror and fright, horrible to hear.

The voice that screamed the terrible scream was Mitsuru's.


	2. Chapter 2: Premonitions

**Dance of the Eclipse**

Chapter Two: Premonitions

"What happened? Did you have a nightmare too?" asked Mahiru as she and the others rushed into his room.

"Yeah, I had a nightmare…wait, what do you mean 'Did you have a nightmare _too_'? Who else had a nightmare?"

"The princess," said Misoka. "Is it possible there is a connection between your dreams?"

"What do you mean?" Mitsuru asked. "Damn it, Misoka! Spill!"

"You and the princess had nightmares on the same night, at the same time, on the night of a lunar eclipse. I sense something brewing. We have been warned."

"Yeah, but of what?" asked Nozomu. "What did you guys dream about?"

"It was cold," said Mahiru, shivering in remembrance. "Really cold. And there was no sun. It was so dark, there wasn't even a moon."

"The night of a new moon, then?" Misoka said. "When we have lost all our power?"

"But we have the princess now," said Nozomu. "She can grant us power on the night of a new moon."

"What if the princess was taken away?" Misoka said. "We need to double security around her."

"But what about Mitsuru's dream?" asked Mahiru.

"Yeah, Mitsuru, what did you dream?" Akira said.

"What did I dream? It was daytime. And the sun was so hot…so burning! And there was this disc in the sky, a little orange disc. It came hurtling at me!" Mitsuru started shaking.

"It's ok, Mitsuru!" Akira said.

"I don't get it," said Mahiru. "We dreamed about completely different things."

"An orange disc in the sky? A night of the new moon?" Misoka started pacing. "I don't like this."

"What? What's going to happen?" Nozomu said, worried. "Should I send Mr. Bat out?"

"We don't need Mr. Bat to tell us what's going on," said Misoka. And for once, Mitsuru agreed with him.

"Yeah," he growled. "Isn't it obvious? Mahiru's going to get kidnapped by our greatest foe."

"I don't understand," said Nozomu. "Me neither," Akira said.

"The orange disc in the sky represents Dawn's Venus," Misoka explained. "They're going to kidnap Mahiru…and there's nothing we can do to stop them."


	3. Chapter 3: Thread

Chapter Three: Thread

"I don't understand."

"What is there _not_ to understand?" Mitsuru yelled. "Dawn's Venus wants to kill Mahiru! What else is there to understand?"

Akira's ears flattened. Mahiru moved over to comfort him, looking reproachfully at Mitsuru. Mitsuru shrank against the wall, sullen.

"I just want to know how you can tell all that from two dreams," Akira said.

"It's simple," said Misoka. "For the Lunar Race, that is. On the night of a full moon, we are _almost _at the full peak of our powers. It is very close, but we are lacking a thread of power. And that is the strongest thread of all."

"Well, it's not as if we really need that thread…not usually," said Nozomu. "You wouldn't know about this, Akira. It's in the ancient legends of the Lunar Race, in our songs that we don't sing anymore."

"During a lunar eclipse, when only the moon is visible in the sky and the sun is not visible at all, we gain that thread. But it lasts only as long as the eclipse, so it's like when you eat a lot of candy," said Misoka. "You get hyper with sugar, but when it's over, you feel tired and let down. Well, with a lunar eclipse, you are infused with the power of the moon. It's more power than all the Teardrops combined. But when it goes away, you are tired, very tired."

"Yeah, it has its pros and cons," said Nozomu. "During a solar eclipse, we are at our weakest point possible. But those rarely happen. Full lunar eclipses are rare too. This is the first full eclipse I've experienced in my lifetime."

"When did you become a scholar, Nozomu?" Akira asked.

The blonde vampire grinned at the werewolf. "I was forced to study our lore right before we found Mahiru."

"You didn't find me," grumbled the girl. "You bumped into me on purpose at the library."

"On purpose?" Nozomu asked innocently. "I think that the eclipse is getting to you head, Mahiru. The way I remember it, you dropped your books looking up the Minister of the Left ten minutes before the library closed."

"You did something to me," Mahiru grumbled. "You used magic on me. That wasn't playing fair!"

Akira laughed. It felt good to hear laughter again, like it had been an age since they had not been worried. Even Mitsuru relaxed.

But they sobered up quickly. Something had to be done to save Mitsuru. But what?

Misoka broke the thinking silence. "I'm going to go to the Moon Palace," he said. "Perhaps they can help us."

"They have to," said Mitsuru grimly. "They owe us one." The tengu clenched his fists, the hatred coming back to his eyes.


	4. Chapter 4: Seer

Chapter Four: Message

The next day, a sign over the club read, "_Closed for the Week_". Many people would be disappointed, but the customers could wait. They had gone to the Moon Palace.

"Your Majesties," said Misoka, as he bowed to the young Lord Shirogane and his mother.

"It is good to see you, Misoka," said the queen.

"We have come to seek help." Misoka straightened. "Last night was a lunar eclipse, as I am sure you all know. At that time, the Lunar Race is at the true peak of their powers, including those of foresight."

"We are aware of that, my servant," said the queen.

Misoka bowed. "Last night, the princess and Mitsuru had nightmares."

Shirogane frowned. "But that's impossible! You lie."

"He does not, my son," said the queen. "But it _is _hard to believe."

"They had premonitions, which lead us to believe that Dawn's Venus will kidnap Mahiru on the night of a new moon. We are not sure how, but since that is the night we are almost the least powerless – excepting a full solar eclipse, of course – we are worried. We request help."

"But what help can we give?" asked the queen. "For we are powerless on the night of a new moon as well."

"Ah, but the palace is not," said Misoka. "Since we have gathered all of the Teardrops of the Moon, it has endured extra fortification against the waning moon. I know it is impossible for the princess to stay here at the palace, but if we may borrow a Teardrop –"

"You can not," Shirogane interrupted. "We need the Teardrops."

"Shirogane!" his mother admonished.

"I have to, Mother. I need to tell them the truth." Shirogane looked at Misoka and at Nozomu, Mitsuru, Akira, and Mahiru behind him. "The Lunar Race has done well because of the Teardrops, thanks to all of you. But strangely, a new disease has infiltrated the palace, affecting only the Lunar Race within."

"But Mahiru isn't a demon," Nozomu said. "How does this affect her? Why can't she stay in the Moon Palace?"

"It is because we believe the disease to be caused by Dawn's Venus," said Shirogane. "This morning, we received a message. It was from the group, and even though it _seems_ as if they have given up, we believe Hokuto is still conspiring with the unwilling help of Keiko Himura." Akira growled.

"The message was that you would be here today to ask Mahiru to stay. '_If you let her stay, we will kill all the Lunar Race with this disease – and not just the ones in the Moon Palace!_'

"But Keiko's going to that dance with me!" Akira said.

"She was captured and held by Hokuto two days ago," said Shirogane.

"Damn him! He planned all this!" Mitsuru snarled.

"Yes, he did," said the queen. "And he is quite capable of carrying out his threat."

"Wait – but then how did Mitsuru and me get those dreams?" asked Mahiru.

The others looked around at her.

"The princess is right," mused Misoka. "Seers have the power to forestall premonitions that they know will be sent."

"Queen," said Mahiru slowly. "You said Keiko was _unwillingly _helping Hokuto, right?"

"We believe so," was the answer.

Mahiru turned to Misoka. "Misoka, in the ancient texts, is there any mention that seers can send premonitions to others?"

"Yes," said Misoka, "but the cases are very particular. It must be on a night of an eclipse, and the premonitions are made by knowledge that the seer has beforehand."

"Well," Mahiru said, turning to the rest, "Keiko is helping Hokuto unwillingly. But she would know about their plan to kidnap me. And so maybe she sent those premonitions to Mitsuru and me, that night. Maybe she told Hokuto that she had a vision of us coming here – and she probably did too, because you can't lie about visions if you're a seer. Maybe Keiko Himura is on _our_ side now."


	5. Chapter 5: Waning

Chapter Five: Waning

Silence greeted Mahiru's words.

Then Akira said, "I never doubted her for a second!" He hugged Mahiru. "Thanks sooo much, Mahiru!"

"But if she is on our side, why did she send you here when she knows you would not be able to sleep here?"

"Maybe we are not supposed to stay," Misoka said. "But we can use the library's resources…and maybe find some more information."

The queen smiled. "You always have my leave to find information that can help us," she said. "The library is open to all. Do you need quiet? Should I extend a ban to the library for the rest of the day?"

"That would be most kind, you Highness," Misoka said, and bowed again. Then he turned and took the path that led to the library, not glancing back.

The others hurriedly followed. Misoka, when he had reached the library, turned to them and said, "All of you must leave me alone. I will be researching something about…well, you can't know yet. But I must not be disturbed for the rest of the day."

"That's fine, Misoka," Nozomu said.

"Yeah," Akira said, subdued. "Is there anything we should look up?"

"Two of you stay here and look up information on seers, premonitions, and palace illnesses in the history of the Lunar Race," Misoka said. "The rest can go where they will."

"I'll stay," Mahiru volunteered instantly. "Since this will be helping me, I should be doing my share."

"Then Mitsuru should go too," Nozomu said. "He had a dream too, after all."

Mitsuru glared at him. "You just want me to be here so you two can go off and eat!"

"Well, duh," Akira said happily. "But it makes sense Mitsuru," and he transformed in a huge werewolf and carried the struggling Mitsuru into the library, dumping him on a chair by a table laden with books. Some titles were, _The Moon Palace's History, Seers in the Distant Past, _and _Interpreting Premonitions_.

"This is a good place to start," he said. "See ya!" He and Nozomu raced out of the library before Mitsuru could gather himself together and yell at them.

"Looks like it's just you and me, Mitsuru," said Mahiru. "And Misoka too, of course." The fox demon sat at a table with a thick volume, not even noticing them.

"Yeah," Mitsuru said, and suddenly the library didn't seem _so_ bad anymore.

They didn't talk much. Whenever they ran across something that might be substantial, they would tell it to the other and write it down on a piece of paper. However, there wasn't much to find. The Moon Palace had never encountered a disease like this before, and as far as the books knew, no human seer had ever sent premonitions to the Lunar Race. But the book on interpreting premonitions proved Misoka's assumptions correct. The two dreams combined made the interpretation: "_If you dream of darkness and endless cold, it means that you will be away from the ones you hold dear for reasons that are not your own. If you dream of a disc of any color hurtling at you, it means your greatest enemy will take something that you hold dear."_

Mahiru made no mention of the fact that Mitsuru held her as something dear, and Mitsuru was glad. It would've been awkward.

Suddenly Mitsuru ran across something on his page of the book _The Moon Palace's History_. "Listen to this, Mahiru! 'In 1914, the year of the human Word War I, a disease was spread among the Lunar Race. It was a wasting illness that did not kill but sapped the powers out of the Lunar Race. Some elderly demons died because all their strength had gone with their power. It came every month at the night of the full moon and struck everyone in the Moon Palace. The only reason the race did not lose all their powers was because of the Lunar Race that lived in the outside world.'"

"That's great, Mitsuru!" exclaimed Mahiru. "It matches up to what I found a few pages ago, except I didn't think it was important…" She flipped back a few pages of _Seers in the Distant Past_ and read, "'In the year 1917, a seer involved in the human World War I was dying. Her name was Maya Yuan, and she sent a premonition to a demon vampire whose name is unknown. He was elderly, dark-haired, and had poor memory. However, the night he had the premonition, he remembered it long enough to tell a demon ox. The demon ox discovered what it meant. He failed to record it and died the next day at the hands of a wasting illness that had struck the Moon Palace...'"

"All this history is really great," Mitsuru said, getting up. "But what does something in World War I have to do with us?"

Mahiru looked at hi, awe on her face. "Mitsuru, that's exactly right!"

"What? Huh? What is exactly right?" Mitsuru asked

Mahiru had a rapt expression on her face. "The seers of the distant past….Mitsuru, help me find the book called _Reincarnations-Fact or Fiction?_"

"Why?" he asked.

"Because," said Mahiru. "It might help us. And it might've helped Maya Yuan."


	6. Chapter 6: Reincarnation

Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I had no idea I was such a good writer . Sorry it took so long to update – two weeks! I've been on vacation. Here's the sixth chapter.

Chapter Six: Reincarnation 

Mitsuru and Mahiru quickly found the book _Reincarnations: Fact or Fiction? _among a stack of dusty thick tomes in the corner of the library.

"Why is this book so important anyway?" Mitsuru asked.

"Hang on," Mahiru said. She was flipping through pages rapidly. "Here it is." She shoved the book under Mitsuru's nose. He held it in his arms, careful not to damage the crumbling spine, and read:

_Though we are not sure whether reincarnations are real, there have been startling cases of strange incidents in history. Maya Yuan, a World War II peace activist, is one of the most remarkable. When she died, her body was preserved for many years, never decaying. There have been rumors, too, of persons who are not related to the supposed dead, but their personalities and looks are remarkably the same._

There followed a list of people. Mitsuru paid them no heed. He flipped to the front cover and said to Mahiru, "This book was written by a human!"

"So?" Mahiru put her hands on her hips and cocked an eyebrow at him. "Help me find a book about Maya Yuan."

"We already know everything there is to know about that girl," grumbled Mitsuru. "She was a human in World War II who had dealings with demons. What else do you need to know?"

"What she looked like," Mahiru replied. "Her personality. If she was like Keiko Himura."

So they searched. It was an hour later when Mitsuru pulled a book from a small shelf in the back. It was a thin paperback, and labeled in gold leaf, _Human War Heroes_.

"Mahiru," Mitsuru called. "Come have a look." Mahiru quickly skipped over. She took the book from Mitsuru and skimmed through the book eagerly. "This is great, Mitsuru!" she said to him. "Good work!" Mitsuru silently basked in her praise.

"It says here that Maya Yuan was about medium height, Japanese, with dark hair. She was considered beautiful, and had a tragic love in her life. She was forced into an engagement with someone who betrayed her. She was a seer, and had dealings with the Lunar Race."

Mahiru looked up. "This is it, Mitsuru! Maya Yuan looks almost exactly like Keiko Himura – and they both had that same sad love story. Keiko Himura is most definitely the reincarnation of Maya Yuan!"


	7. Chapter 7: Binding

**OK- there has been a problem in the story. I put World War I in Chapter 5, but Word War II in Chapter 6, as the time when Maya Yuan lived. Ahem. I forget which one is the right one, but it's whatever war that was in 1914 – 1918. Sorry about the confusion! Juzolin**

Chapter Seven: Binding

"Guys?" Nozomu popped his head into the library. "It's late. You want to take a break?"

"Nozomu!" Mahiru rushed to him. "We've found something really important!"

"What? What is it?" Akira peeked in to. "What'd you guys find?"

"We figured out that Keiko Himura is the reincarnation of Maya Yuan, a human who knew about the Lunar Race, and was in World War I. She actually sent a premonition to a demon."

"So?" Akira asked, but it was beginning to dawn on Nozomu. "So she sent you and Mitsuru the premonitions!" he said excitedly.

At that moment, Misoka turned around. "I could not find what I sought," he said tiredly. "I wonder about you two. Did you find anything?"

"Yeah…listen Misoka!" Mahiru was bursting with pride and excitement. "We found out that Maya Yuan is a World War I hero who decided to make her spirit stay in the mortal plane until someone suitable came up. She chose Keiko Himura as her reincarnation."

"Um…we didn't find out in _those_ words," Mitsuru said.

"Ah…well, you get the point," Mahiru said, pouting. "It's just more of a romantic story if you go at it from my way."

"Romantic or not, this is part of the information I have been looking for," Misoka said. "Good work you two." Mahiru beamed; Mitsuru just scowled.

Misoka turned to Nozomu and Akira. "Now it is your turn," he said. "You must find something out for me about the Moon Palace. I have not suspected it, until today. Here are my instructions. Look into every corner; eavesdrop on every conversation, until you hear the words '_The Dance of the Eclipse_'. It may sound like a festival, but it is not. When you hear or find those words, report to me at once about where or who you got those words from."

"Ah, Misoka," Akira protested. "I think you're getting paranoid. We can't eavesdrop! What if the queen catches us?"

"You are to eavesdrop on the queen most especially," said Misoka in answer. "The queen and Lord Shirogane."

"Why?" Mahiru asked Misoka.

"Because, princess, there is a plot going on behind the walls of the Moon Palace…there is a reason they did not let you stay here, beyond the note Hokuto gave them."

or World War II


	8. Chapter 8: Dance

Chapter Eight: Dance

The moon watches Nozomu, Akira, Mahiru, Mitsuru, and Misoka prepare for dinner with the queen and Shirogane.

"But didn't you guys already eat?" Mahiru asked Akira. Nozomu, overhearing, protested, "That was just a light snack!"

"It would be rude to refuse the Queen's invitation anyway," Akira reminded Mahiru. "And we have to keep on her good side."

"Well, OK…" Mahiru said. "But make sure you guys don't explode!"

Misoka impatiently spoke. "Hurry, you three! We can not afford to be late. They may be talking about the Dance of the Eclipse."

Mahiru hurried into her dress, which the queen had provided her with. It was as light as silk, and reached down to her ankles, with a slit up to her knee. It was the color of poppies, and it was very slinky. Mahiru felt very strange in it, and she gasped when she looked in the looking glass.

"Is that me?" she squealed. Nozomu crept up behind her and nodded. "Yep, it's you," he nodded. "Uh-huh," Akira added.

Misoka spoke impatiently again. "You have to wear it, princess. The queen gave you that dress."

"The Queen is an old snob," Mitsuru spat. He did not like the queen of the Lunar Race.

They hurried to dinner and Mahiru got used to the feel of the dress, even if she thought she looked like one of those girls who liked to wear stylish clothes that bent the school rules and who flirted with the boys.

The dinner was simple, yet elegant. Mahiru ate just enough as was polite and to keep herself alive, as she was very nervous. It was an uncomfortable dinner. Although they talked, there was a lot of tension.

"My Queen," Misoka said, "isn't the Festival of the Waning coming up?"

"It is cancelled this year," said the queen. Misoka did not say anything, but Mahiru knew him well enough to know that he was thinking of something – what could this cancellation mean?

After the food was served and eaten, the queen had the table cleared away and dessert was put on the table. She also had music be put on, and after they ate the powdery sugar cake in the shape of a swan, the table was put away too. Then the Queen sat down on a sofa made of soft velvet, Shirogane next to her.

Mahiru was unsure what to do. She looked questioningly at Misoka, who told her, "It is the time for dancing."

Nozomu walked over to the queen and gallantly asked for a dance. Mahiru was feeling very uncomfortable and looked over at Mitsuru. He stood there grimly, in the suit that he had been forced to wear.

"Mitsuru," Mahiru said urgently, and he came over to her.

"What?"

"Do you want to…do you want to dance?" Mahiru said tentatively.

Mitsuru drew back in alarm.

"No, wait!" Mahiru grabbed his arm. "It'll be good practice for my school dance!"

"I don't dance," Mitsuru grumbled.

But Mahiru, gently insisting and teasing, lured him onto the tiled floor where Nozomu and the queen waltzed. Mahiru grabbed Mitsuru's hands, and she guided him through a simple square dance.

"There, that wasn't so bad, was it?" Mahiru asked him when it was done. Mitsuru hmmphed, but he didn't object when she dragged him onto the floor again and they began a sweet, slow waltz.

Mahiru sighed and leaned her head against Mitsuru's chest. _It was worth coming to this dinner, if only for this dance._ While they whirled around, she felt like nothing, not the queen, not Shirogane, not Dawn's Venus, could get her then.

**belatedly Is Misoka a girl or a boy?**


	9. Chapter 9: Poison

Chapter Nine: Poison

The queen and Nozomu retired, leaving Mitsuru and Mahiru alone. Misoka and Akira had already gone to bed. Mitsuru peered into her face.

"Come on, you gotta get some sleep," he said. "You're nearly dead."

But Mahiru wasn't tired. She slumped against Mitsuru, and suddenly her body convulsed. A ragged cry tore from her mouth, but it was so soft, because she had no energy to make a loud scream. Mitsuru looked at her in alarm.

"Mahiru!" he said, shaking her. "Snap out of it!"

She moaned and her body convulsed again. She slipped out of Mitsuru's grasp, but he caught her before she fell to the ground. She lay comatose in his arms.

"Misoka!" Mitsuru yelled. "Akira! Nozomu!" He swore in frustration – "Damn!" – and summoned wind to fly Mahiru over to her room. But he stopped in time. She might fall if he flew her.

Mitsuru began to run, towards Misoka's room. He banged on the door.

"Open up! Open the damn door, Misoka!"

He waited impatiently until the fox demon opened the door. Calm and collected as usual, although his dignity was ruined somewhat by his flowered pajamas, he stood in front of Mitsuru with a book in one hand.

"What is it, Mitsuru?" asked Misoka. "What happened to the princess?"

"That's what I want to know!" Mitsuru said. "She just collapsed."

Misoka beckoned Mitsuru into his room. Mitsuru followed him and he lay Mahiru on the unused bed.

He looked around. So this was what Misoka's room looked like. It was clean, neat, and tidy. Nothing seemed used except for the bookshelf. A closet stood at a corner of the room. It was open. Misoka went to it, and he shoved aside the clothes and pressed his finger to the end of the metal bar which the clothes hung on. Suddenly, the floor of the wardrobe, supposedly solid oak, slid away, revealing more – books.

"Damn, Misoka, this is no time to read!" Mitsuru said.

"These are my magic books," Misoka replied. "Medicinal cures and symptoms of certain poisons are found in here."

"You think Mahiru was poisoned?" Mitsuru asked.

"Yes," Misoka said, not looking back, as he searched through the pile of books.

"What the hell?" Mitsuru asked. "Who'd want to poison Mahiru?"

"Many people," said Misoka. "I begin to wonder if the queen and Shirogane are not in league with Dawn's Venus."

"What? When I get my hands on those bastards…" Mitsuru clenched his fist.

Misoka paid him no heed, and he took out a slender earthy colored book. The words were printed small, and sketches were drawn in every available space. He went to the end of the book.

"Here it is," said Misoka. "Mahiru was poisoned, by cyanide." He looked up. "That poison is so powerful that even a spoonful can kill. It may be too late to save the princess."


	10. Chapter 10: Choice

Chapter Ten: Choice

Mitsuru grabbed Misoka by the shoulders and shook him. "What are you talking about? Mahiru is definitely alive!"

"How do you know?" asked Misoka. Mitsuru hated him them, hated him more than anything else on Earth, that worshipped the sun, the moon, or whatever. He hated him so badly that he actually began to think of Misoka as one dead, because he wanted him dead so much.

"Check if there is a pulse," Misoka told Mitsuru. Mitsuru moved over to Mahiru and placed a finger on her neck. He felt a very faint and unsteady dum-dum-dum.

"There is a pulse," said Mitsuru.

Misoka checked his book again. "According to this, the only cure is syrup of ipecac, which is not available to us. Or we could use the Teardrops of the Moon."

"Let's use those then!" Mitsuru said desperately.

"They are in custody of the Queen. We can not get them without her permission."

"Get them now! How much longer does Mahiru have t-to l-" Mitsuru stumbled over the word "live."

"To live?" Misoka asked coolly. "I would estimate the princess had two hours left."

"That's _all_?" Mitsuru shook Misoka again. "Get the damn Teardrops! We got them, shouldn't we be able to use them?"

"The Teardrop that revived you could be exchanged for Mahiru's life," said Misoka. "But you would die."

"That…that can be our last resort," Mitsuru said grimly.

"Our options therefore stand as thus," Misoka said. "One – Ask the Queen for Teardrops. Two – Try to find syrup of ipecac. Three – Kill you to save Mahiru." Mitsuru clenched his fists.

"Option three is not the favored choice, for obvious reasons, although it has the best chance of succeeding," Misoka continued. "Option two is unattainable. And option one…that may not be a good idea, since I suspect the Queen was the one who had Mahiru poisoned."


	11. Chapter 11: FairyTale

**Sorry it took so long to update…I had a HUGE science project due, and a math test. Well here is the eleventh chapter. Please don't kill me for not updating for so long!**

Chapter Eleven: Fairy-Tale

"Okay," Mitsuru said, stunned by this sudden announcement. "We'll worry about that later. Come on, Misoka, we've got to see the queen!"

Misoka appeared to consider this.

"No," he said finally.

"Why not?" Mitsuru asked in a deadly calm voice. "In case you haven't noticed, Mahiru is _dying_ here!"

"So?" Misoka asked. "The loss of the princess would grieve me just as much as it would you, but she is no longer important. We have all the Teardrops."

"You…dare…"Mitsuru clenched his fists. "I…I _love_ Mahiru!" he shouted. His face was covered with tears. "And you say that she's no longer _important_? You heartless…evil…"

"I may have a remedy to extend Mahiru's life," Misoka interrupted Mitsuru's rant. "But it will take time to prepare. And there are no guarantees. Or we could try the more traditional way."

"What traditional way?" Mitsuru asked Misoka. "And I thought you said there were only three options!"

"There are," Misoka shrugged. "Three scientific ways. But there are also the obscure ways. Do you know the tale of Sleeping Beauty?"

"Yes," Mitsuru replied, not daring to look at how pale Mahiru's face was, or how shallow her breathing.

"She was awakened by a kiss," Misoka continued. "Her prince battled through many trials to reach her…"

"I know that," Mitsuru growled. "Get to the point!"

"You could kiss her," Misoka said simply. "That might awaken her, might cure her."

"What? _Kiss_?" Mitsuru turned red. "I'm not like that!"

"But it is the only way out," Misoka shrugged. "Unless you want to beg from the Queen, who possibly arranged the poison in the first place, or kill yourself."

"What about that potion you said you could make?" asked Mitsuru. "That remedy?"

"It takes a month to stew," said Misoka. "Mahiru has two and a half hours left. You will want to make your decision quickly…" When Mitsuru still made no move, he continued, "The Lunar Race were the foundation of those legends. Those legends have basis in facts. You will find that sometimes the unbelievable is actually the truth…"

Mitsuru groaned. "Fine," he snapped. "I'll do it." He leaned over and pecked Mahiru gingerly on the cheek, aware of Misoka's eyes following him. Nothing happened.

"Now what?" asked Mitsuru to Misoka.

"Kiss her again!" was the reply. "You know the tale – the prince kissed the princess, and theirs was the kiss of true love…"

Mitsuru looked at Mahiru's pale face. He knew he couldn't bear to lose her. He softly stroked her hair, and without thinking, leaned over again and kissed Mahiru's lips very softly and deeply.

Mahiru's eyes flew open.


	12. Chapter 12: Treachery

**Second to last chapter, all!**

Chapter Twelve: Treachery

Misoka clapped. "Congratulations, you have awoken the princess!" He dragged a dazed Mahiru and Mitsuru away from each other and said, "No time to lose. We must go see the Queen!"

"Hang on, wasn't the Queen the one who poisoned Mahiru?" Mitsuru gasped out before Misoka, using his magic, pulled them toward the Queen's room.

"Precisely," replied Misoka. "That is why we must see her."

He dragged them both to an elaborate room in the west wing. He stood outside an ornately carved door and knocked. Moments later, Shirogane opened the door.

"What do you want?" he asked Misoka, not noticing Mahiru or Mitsuru. "My mother is resting."

"We want to speak to your mother," replied Misoka. "It is urgent. Seeing as we have already trespassed on your mothe's hospitality by letting Mahiru stay the night – against her original wishes – we shall trespass a little more."

"The descendant of the princess? But she's-" Then Shirogane saw Mahiru and was unable to stifle a gasp.

Misoka smirked.

Shirogane glared at him. "Fine," he said, "come in."

Misoka led the other two into the Queen's chambers. Mahiru's eyes grew round, and even Mitsuru looked unsettled. The suite was decked out in riches and splendor. Couches and jewelry and carved low tables were everywhere. Misoka led them into a smaller room. It was just as decked out as the other rooms, but there was a bed in it. A smaller door led to a rich bathroom.

Misoka walked straight past all this glory without a backward glance. He went to the figure on the bed and motioned Mahiru near.

"Wake her," he instructed Mahiru, "and make sure yours is the first face she sees, princess." Then Misoka stood off to the side, waiting.

Mahiru was unsettled, but she did as she was told. The queen woke up after three shakes, and when she saw Mahiru' s blonde hair and blue eyes and clear face, she was startled.

"But you're _dead_," she protested.

"Dead?" Misoka said from where he stood. "My dear Queen, I assure you, she is very much alive!"

"But…but that's impossible!" the Queen said. "I poisoned her myself! I even brewed the powder myself-" she cut herself off, realizing what she had said.

"Yeah, you did poison her," Mitsuru snarled. His eyes began to swirl in anger. "You wanted to kill Mahiru – the princess! Well, you didn't do it quite right, did you? What're you going to do now?"

"Get out of my sight!" the Queen said. "This is a very delicate stage in the proceedings."

"What proceedings?" asked Mitsuru. Misoka gestured, and Mitsuru, without wanting to or meaning too, grabbed Shirogane by the scruff of his neck.

"What!" Misturu said, but Misoka shot him a look that said, "Be quiet."

"Unhand my son!" the queen of demons said.

"Tell us, my _dear_ Queen, what proceedings?" Misoka asked, and Mitsuru tightened his grip. Tears welled in Shirogane's eyes.

"Fine!" the queen shouted suddenly. "I will tell you. Just leave Shirogane alone!"

Mitsuru would have been quite glad to drop Shirogane; in face, he was loosening his fingers already, but Misoka tightened his mental grip on Mitsuru. Mahiru watched in horror.

"The Dance of the Eclipse is a festival," said the queen, "that has not been performed for a thousand years. Why? Because it was forbidden.

"The festival required the sacrifice of a human being, or royal blood, the night before the festival. Then you had to perform a spell, a summoning, and you would receive all the Teardrops." She looked at them. "_All_ of them. Even the fabled last Teardrop.

"I need the last Teardrop," said the queen. "I need it, because Shirogane is in bad health." She looked at her son. "He gets worse every year. Soon he will not be able to walk. Then what will I do?" She looked pleadingly at everyone assembled in her room. "What was I supposed to do?"

Misoka stepped forward. "You have all heard the confession," he announced like in court. "What would the verdict be?"

"Death for her son," Mitsuru said, although he didn't want to. "Death for Shirogane," Mahiru also said without any control.

That was when Mitsuru and Mahiru realized that even if the Queen was delusional – Misoka was crazy for power!


	13. Chapter 13: Twisting

**Last chappie! A big thanks to everyone who read my story with enthusiasm…right now I can only think of moonscout11, and Dragon Mistress of the Heavens, but there are more so thanks to everyone! And now…the finale…** Chapter 13: Twisting 

Mitsuru looked at Mahiru. In unspoken agreement, they turned to Misoka and grabbed him, intending to drag their power-hungry leader to Nozomu.

Unfortunately, this noble attempt was foiled. Although the pair's strength should have overcome the shorter personage, Misoka whirled around with astonishing speed, and calling out, "Wind! You are my blood! Now come!" he grabbed them both instead of the vice versa and hurled them onto the bed next to the queen and Shirogane.

"Misoka!" Mahiru said angrily.

"I'm sorry, princess, but this is for your own good."

"No, you're crazy!" Mahiru said, getting worked up. Mitsuru hushed her, leaning close to whisper, "Listen! You are the princess – you can take this magic from him, can't you?"

"Oh, yeah…" Mahiru said, shame staining her cheeks because she had not thought of this sooner.

"All you have to do is touch him and…"

"I'm afraid that won't work," said Misoka, interrupting. His hearing was remarkable.

"Why not?" Mahiru asked, stalling for time. She inched off the edge of the bed veerryy s l o w l y…

"You have to get past my barrier first," said Misoka, as he set up his barrier.

"Easy, I'll just throw a thunderbolt," Mitsuru said, his blood boiling. He transformed into a huge Tengu, and for just a moment, Misoka seemed daunted until he turned into his fox form.

"Wait! Don't fight!" Mahiru pleaded. Everyone seemed to have forgotten the queen and Shirogane as they huddled on the rich bed in fear.

"Princess, princess, why do you cry?" mocked Misoka. His once beautiful voice turned into an ugly snarl; the beautiful lyrics seemed to become a death chant.

"Misoka!" came a cry from the door. Misoka turned; so did Mahiru and Mitsuru. (The queen and her son kept on the bed, more scared than ever.) Nozomu and Akira stood there, with…Keiko Himura!

"What?" asked Mahiru. "How'd you guys know we needed help?"

"Hi, Mahiru!" piped Akira happily. "We heard the commotion. So what's up?"

"Be quiet!" ordered Misoka, and suddenly Mahiru couldn't open her mouth!

"Misoka! Stop that!" Nozomu protested. "Does anyone know what's going on?"

A quiet voice broke the confusion. "_I _know," said Himura, stepping from behind the other two at the door. Mahiru looked at her; Mitsuru looked at her; even the queen and Shirogane stopped knocking their knees together and looked at her.

"It was all because of my brother," she said. "Hokuto. He and Misoka have been planning this: a dupe on the queen, and me sending these premonitions. Misoka was the mastermind. He planned the whole thing. I went along with it, because I hate you. All of you…I wanted to get rid of you." She paused, eyes looking everywhere except at Akira, who looked stricken.

Taking a deep breath, she went on. "I was glad to pretend I was on your side, until I remembered…Akira…" The room was silent as she let a faint blush spread across her cheeks.

"I wanted to quit. I came to the castle, because that was where Misoka was, and he was leader. I came to help, because I knew what was going on." Himura looked around defiantly. "I can defeat you, Misoka, anytime I want. Because…because Maya Yuan's spirit is inside me, and I can do anything that she has done, and more. And she did defeat you before."

"What?" asked Nozomu. "How has she defeated Misoka before? She's dead."

Misoka looked almost pleadingly at Himura, but she ignored him. "Maya Yuan was a World War I hero. She sent premonitions, she was a seer…as I am sure you all knew.

"Well, she also used her seer skills to defeat enemies. One night, two years before she died, Maya Yuan sent a premonition to a demon lord. He was a horrible beast – not the one that the princess fell in love with, but a brute that loved blood and killing. He was terrorizing villages, and one day he ruined Maya's home town. She couldn't abide that, and sent a premonition to the demon lord. It drove him crazy, and he committed suicide."

Himura looked at everyone in the room now; Akira's eyes were shining with respect and happiness. Then she finished her story. "And then his spirit seeked vengeance. It found a home in Misoka, as Maya Yuan found me. Isn't it a coincidence that we should meet?" And she grinned at Misoka with anything but humor; for the first time, Misoka quailed.

"She has it right," he said. "But I am not asleep; this time you can not send me a dream! And what then!" His voice had changed to a harsher baritone, and Mahiru recognized it as the one who had so cruelly twisted the "Princess, Princess" song.

"I have other weapons at hand," said Himura. Her voice had changed to – it was higher, and more sweet, though right now defiant. "Watch!"

And suddenly Misoka was twisting in agony on the floor, his limbs convulsed, and his glasses flew askew. He let out a high, keening cry, and Himura stopped. Misoka shuddered on the floor once, and lay still.

"What did you do to him?" Mahiru whispered into the shocked silence.

"I entered his mind," said Himura grimly. "I weeded out his most horrible memories. They really are quite…horrifying."

"What do we do with him?" Mitsuru asked harshly.

"Leave him here," said Himura, "and let justice deal with him." She walked out of the room with dignity, but looking tired and older beyond her years, and silently the rest followed, leaving Misoka cold, pale, and unconscious on the floor.

Mitsuru and Mahiru walked side by side, silently, in the cold air as they headed back to Moonshine. Then Mahiru looked up. "Mitsuru?" she asked. "Have you thought of an answer yet?"

"To what?" asked Mitsuru.

"To my question."

Mitsuru still looked puzzled, so Mahiru said, "If you would go to my school dance with me."

Mitsuru laughed then, and Mahiru laughed too; so did Nozomu, Akira, and Himura. It felt good to laugh again, like they had not for what seemed an eternity.

"I'll come," he said. And Mahiru, content, went onwards, leaving a smiling Mitsuru behind.

**THE END**


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